Why I Never Want to Stop Seeing Movies in a Theatre

I love movies a lot. I enjoy watching them by myself at home, cuddled in bed or on the couch with lots of blankets or with my favourite guy beside me, or watching Despicable Me for the 100th time with my nephew, or in the theatre. But sometimes I can be quite anxious watching a movie in a theatre. I have this thing about knowing what is going to happen, and I really don’t like a lot of suspense. I like being able to see the whole screen, and having time to cover my eyes before seeing something unpleasant (I’m quite squeamish). This is why I don’t watch horror movies, thrillers, or anything with a lot of gore. I also don’t like seeing movies in IMAX, and am not a big fan of 3D, though I will suffer through it if I have to.

Like I mentioned in my post on Sunday, Christopher and I went to see Ant-Man on Friday night. I was really excited to see it, because we both love Marvel movies, Paul Rudd is the best, and I had heard it was really funny. Right before the previews started, I started feeling really anxious. I started to feel claustrophobic (a couple sat down next to me right before after I thought I had some room on my side), and I started thinking about how I hadn’t actually seen many previews for the movie and was kind of unsure of what to expect. I didn’t like that. I haven’t really talked about this before, but I experience anxious episodes sometimes (I haven’t been diagnosed with any anxiety disorders, but with my minor in Psychology, I know enough of the symptoms to understand what my body is experiencing). I told Christopher, but he didn’t quite hear me, and just gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and held my hand supportively (he’s really good at that). Eventually as the movie progressed, those anxious feelings subsided and I was able to completely enjoy it.

This is what I love about seeing movies in the theatre. Usually when you are watching a movie in a theatre, you are surrounded by many other people, some people you may know, while the others you have never seen before (and will likely never see again). But, when you are watching a movie, you are all having a communal experience. You laugh together, cry together. You may not all experience the art in the same way, but you are experiencing it together. I remember a few years ago, watching Bride Wars (one of my favourites) with my sister, sister-in-law and my childhood best friend for a girls night out. The theatre was packed (it might have been opening night), the smell of popcorn was heavy in the air (and our bellies were full of spinach dip and deep-fried cheesecake), and we laughed. We laughed and laughed, and everyone laughed around us. I remember thinking that night about how it felt like a true community.

I never want stop seeing movies in the theatre. I may get anxious about certain scenes, or hate the part when the guy and girl aren’t getting along because of a misunderstanding (that gives me anxiety just thinking about it), but they will always be there for me for laugh, for a cry, for a new perspective. And to remind me that Paul Rudd has found the fountain of youth.